Are vultures the only birds without feathers on their heads?

Answers

No. A few other bird species have bald heads naturally as well such as turkeys and some species of storks and ibis. For some other bird species, it is not incredibly uncommon for them to go bald as a result of molt or mites. This happens to bluejays and cardinals to name a few.

Some birds other than vultures (including some storks and ibises) are naturally bald. In the case of the vulture, it’s thought that a lack of feathers is helpful when eating carrion, as feathers would quickly become messy from being dipped in the decomposing flesh that vultures often eat. However, in most shore birds (like the Northern Bald Ibis, pictured below), the baldness is actually a fashions statement, replacing the bold plumage of other birds with this equally forwards display which they accentuate during mating season.